Joseph smith



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH SMITH, OF DELAVARE, OHIO.

HARNESS FOR HORSES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,660, dated February 17, 1857.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SMITH, of the town of Delaware, and county of Delaware and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harness for Animals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings, which do accompany and form a part of this specification, and the letters of reference marked thereon.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure l is a side view. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a section of the clamp attachment of the swingletree, to shaft, taken through its longitudinal center. Fig. 4. is a view of the clamp on the shaft with the band, washer and tap removed as will be described.

Similar characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The nature of my invention consists in so constructing harness for animals, as to enable me to dispense with the necessity of using breeching, tugs or traces, hames and hames collar, also in the peculiar manner of attaching' the swingletree to the shafts, as will be described.

(A) is a strong band of leather which passes around the horses breast and extends back as far as the rear of the fore shoulders. To said band at (B B) are secured two metallic bars (C C) of the form and projecting forward in the manner as clearly shown in the drawings. The forward ends of said bars are connected together by means of cross bar (D) which is pivoted to said bars at (d (Z) E is t-he swingletree which passes across in front of the horses breast and is connected to cross bar (D) by means of chain (G G) are the shafts of the carriage, which are secured to the end of the swingletree by means of clamps (H). The peculiar construction of which will be hereafter described.

(I I) are adjustable pads which are connected to bars (C C) by means of rods (J J) as shown in the drawings, said pads are so adjusted, as to rest against. the shoulders of the animal and fulfil the purpose. of the ordinary collar.

(K) is the neck strap which supports the front of the harness.

L is the back strap or saddle which is similar to those of other harness, and serves a similar purpose. The lower ends of said strap are connected to a triangular coupling (M) the front end of said coupling being secured to the rear end of the breast band (A) as seen in Fig. (l). A similar arrangement is used on either end of said breast band.

(N) is the girth, the ends of which are attached to triangular coupling at (N) as seen in Fig. l. The use of said triangular coupling, will be set forth in the operation.

(T) is the crupper strap.

(b) is a rest connected to the center of cross bar (D) which prevents t-he swingletree from being carried too far forward by the forward pressure of the load, while going down hill. To the lower end of said rest is attached one end of the martingale (W) the other end being connected to the girth as seen in Fig. 1.

The construction of the clamp connect-ion is as follows, A clamp constructed as shown in Fig. 4 is placed on the shaft as shown in said ligure-said clamp is made in a taper form and provided with a thread as clearly shown in the drawing. A collar (o) in Fig. 3 is slipped on over said clamp, washer (P) is placed next t0 collar (o) and a taper tap (1) is secured on the clamp indenting flange (s) into the shaft and securing A firmly to the same, a loop (U) is pivoted in collar (o) through .which the end of the swingletree passes, as shown in the drawing-said collar (0) turns freely on the clamp, which in conjunction with pivoted loop (U) renders said coupling a perfectly universal joint which allows the swingletree to oscillate `freely without injury to the connection.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The harness being placed upon the animal, pads z' c' are so adjusted as to rest against the shoulders in the proper position the inner surface of said pads being concave so as to lit the shoulders perfectly, said pads are so pivoted to rods (J J) as to allow them to oscillate and thus suit themselves to the movements of the shoulder. The draft being in the center of connection bar (D) directly in front of the horse, the pressure is equalized on either shoulder. It will be readily seen that the draft is divided between breast band (A) and pads (27 z') thus giving suflicient bearing surface to prevent galling, as is frequently the ease, when the breast collar alone is used in heavy draft, thus rendering all the advantage of the haines collar-side bars (c c) and cross bar (D) being pivoted at (d d) in such a inanner as to forin a joint as shown in the drawings, allowing side bars (c c) to act independently of each other to a certain eX- tent,thus giving a free and easy motion to the shoulders.

The use of triangular coupling, (M) is as follows, while traveling on level or ascending ground the girth and back strap assume a position in their connection to the coupling as shown in Fig. l, the same being suffioiently tight for forward draft, but when descending an incline plain, the forward pressure of the load carries the breast band (A) forward which draws triangular coupling (M) through loops (n n.) Causing the rear of said coupling to assume the position occupied b-y the forward end in the drawing7 and thus tightening said girth and backstrap sufficiently to enable him to sustain any amount of pressure that he could7 were the harness provided with breeehing. As soon as the forward pressure is relieved the triangular coupling assumes the position as shown in the drawing, and the girth and back strap are relieved.

Having thus fully described iny invention what I olaini as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. Side bars (c c) connected by cross bar (D) or their equivalent, Constructed and arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. I claim pads (i i) or their equivalent lConstructed and arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

3. I claiin triangular Coupling (M) or its equivalent constructed and arranged in manner and for the purpose set forth.

JOSEPH SMITH.

Attest:

JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, T. H. ALEXANDER. 

